Trip down Frontera Road

Had a very busy day yesterday, by the time I got home I was just too tired to make a post.  Why is printer ink so expensive?  Needed to make several copies but Val Verde County Library does not open till 1:00 p.m. on weekends. So was trying to kill time till they opened.

I have mentioned that we do not have a donation center in Del Rio like Goodwill or Salvation Army. The closest thing has always been Faith Mission a church on Frontera Road that before they built the new ICE headquarters had a large number of followers.  People would walk to it from Mexico but now that the access has been cut off they have to walk or drive for 4 miles versus one block.

This was Frontera Rd. prior to being closed off.  It may look unprotected
but the International Bridge is located there with armed ICE agents.

The border wall along Fronters Road

Faith Mission is located right next to who used to be our mechanic twice removed, he is now deceased.  I caught him several times dumpster diving and salvaging stuff so one of his relatives could sell them in Mexico instead of landing at the local landfill...I had no trouble with that.

Faith Mission Warehouse to the left, my former
 mechanic's shop to the right.

Up until I would say fifteen years ago or so there were two ways to go to Mexico.  The pretty way or the not so pretty but faster way.  My parents always went down the historic South Del Rio route.  That is where many of the beautiful mansions, vineyards and historic landmarks are located such as Dr. Brinkley's mansion. Who was Dr. Brinkley?  Here is a prior post if you care to read it.  I might also add the most read post on my blog...who would have imagined? http://terlinguadreams.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-brinkley-mansion.html

It has been a long time since I have been down this road and did not know if the church was still open and if they took donations and what type. The drop box was at a different location but it answered my question of what they accepted.

This is where the first border wall went up under President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks.  Over the wall is still the United States until you reach the Rio Grande about half a mile downhill.

Border Patrol drives down this road behind the fence to the Rio Grande.
Only Federal authorities have access to it.

Looking Southwest to what used to be the
former ICE headquarters and gateway to Mexico.

Frontera Road ends here (there is a big gap) and to the left is private property.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.



2019 NBA Conference Semifinals

I have really tried to get into the games this year but since my San Antonio Spurs were eliminated I really have not been enthused about them. 

I wish I had been able to watch the last game between Denver and Portland but I changed the channel to watch the news and never returned to it.  Had no idea they had gone to four overtimes would have been fun to watch.

Reminiscing along historic Sourth Del Rio - Part I

It has been a long time since I have had the chance to go riding around.  I decided to drive to historic south Del Rio.  This is where we lived when we first moved here. Though the house no longer exists..it was nice to see the other homes with new owners as their original owners passed away a long time ago.

When I first started this blog I often mentioned our "ex-mechanic"...well I used to call him something else but I can no longer do that, as we just learned he passed away two months ago. His shop closed down a couple of years ago, he blamed the federal government as they constructed the new International bridge offices and cut him off from his customers and the old road to Mexico.

Behind this fence, it is still US soil for about a third to a half mile.
 That is how far the RIo Grande River and Mexico are located

This is the border fence across from his shop.  It is not even a mile long along this stretch of Frontera Road.

Here you can see the International Bridge in the area reserved for the inspection of 18 wheelers and commercial vehicles.

Even though we are in December the trees are still holding on to their leaves.  There was this big grayish truck with blue and red lights on this now cul-de-sac.  I, of course did not take a picture of it...though it surprised me as this area is usually patrolled by official Border Patrol and not undercover vehicles...but what do I know?

One of the churches that was most impacted by the street closing was Faith Mission.  Their church goers would simply clear customs and walk half a block  In my day there was no Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries (there still isn't) or other charity to donate to.  If you had something to donate you brought it to Faith Mission and many including myself still do.

When we moved here from Austin, Texas in the late 60's there was only one Border Patrol Headquarters located along Hudson Drive which is now called Qualia Drive in honor of the owners of the oldest winery in the state of Texas...more on a future post.

It now sits empty on some prime real estate.  Though there were two vehicles parked here, they were not official Border Patrol vehicles.

In some ways it makes me feel old, as I remember landmarks and people we knew that lived along this stretch that are no longer with us.  Like the Arranaga's, the Urby's, the Gonzalez's, the Cantu's and the Lira's.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.